IU Bloomington to Cut 100+ Academic Programs by 2026
Indiana University Bloomington to Eliminate Over 100 Academic Programs in Sweeping Restructuring
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — In one of the most significant academic overhauls in its history, Indiana University Bloomington will suspend or eliminate more than 100 academic programs beginning ahead of the 2026–2027 academic year.
The move is part of a larger statewide restructuring prompted by House Enrolled Act 1001 (2025), which introduces strict thresholds for degree program enrollment and completion.
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education released the list of affected programs in a document shared during its June 30 meeting.
The cuts impact undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs and span nearly every academic area—from arts and humanities to education, science, public health, and foreign languages.
Among the undergraduate degrees facing elimination are longstanding liberal arts programs such as the Bachelor of Arts in African American and African Diaspora Studies, Art History, Comparative Literature, French, Gender Studies, and Spanish. Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Ballet, Cognitive Science, and Environmental Geoscience are also on the chopping block.
Graduate and professional programs are equally affected.
Several master’s and Ph.D. programs will be phased out or merged, including doctoral tracks in Art History, Astrophysics, Japanese, and Gender Studies.
The School of Education will also see multiple degrees—such as the B.S.Ed. in English, Mathematics, Journalism, and Social Studies—eliminated entirely.
The drastic changes follow the university’s recent announcement of a $100 million budget realignment and come on the heels of a shift in leadership on IU’s Board of Trustees.
The new majority, aligned with Indiana Governor Mike Braun, has emphasized prioritizing “practical degrees” tied to workforce development outcomes. Gov. Braun remarked that IU President Pamela Whitten wanted to “spruce up” the university—a comment that has sparked debate among students, faculty, and alumni about the deeper implications of the restructuring.
Critics argue that the cuts disproportionately affect identity-based and humanities programs—disciplines that have historically been underfunded and under-enrolled but play a vital role in shaping civic, cultural, and ethical understanding.
Supporters of the legislation, however, point to low graduation rates and dwindling enrollment in certain programs, saying the changes are necessary to make higher education more efficient and career-focused.
As the 2025–26 school year approaches, students and faculty are left to grapple with what these sweeping changes mean for academic freedom, intellectual diversity, and the future of Indiana’s flagship public university.
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IU Bloomington to Cut 100+ Academic Programs by 2026 was originally published on wtlcfm.com
